Self Propelled Remix Machine with Conveyor

ABSTRACT

A dedicated self-propelled auger type remix machine with an elevating conveyor permanently coupled thereon.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part application of an applicationby Joseph E. Musil and Vince Egan, on May 09, 2006, having Ser. No.11/382,441, entitled “A FRAME RAISING MULTI-USE PAVING TRACTOR WITHBLIND MATEABLE QUICK CONNECTING TOOL ATTACHMENTS” which is acontinuation in part of an application filed on Sep. 17, 2003, b JosephE. Musil and Vince Egan, having Ser. No. 10/605,249 entitled “MULTI-USEPAVING TRACTOR WITH TOOL ATTACHMENTS”, both of which applications areincorporated herein in their entirety by these references. Thisapplication further claims the benefit of the filing date of provisionalapplication filed Sep. 23, 2005 and having Ser. No. 60/596,447, entitledSELF PROPELLED REMIX MACHINE WITH CONVEYOR.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the past, road paving equipment designers have endeavored to improvethe functionality of road pavers. U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,272 is an exampleof an improved paver with mixing capabilities. While such improvementshave been made to remixing capabilities of pavers, they remain a singleuse machine. Most paving contractors will have a paver, a road widenerand some means for transferring the mix to the paver and road widener,all of which are independent machines.

Others have used independent mix transfer machines.

While these approaches of using independent remix pavers and HMA plants,etc. have been used extensively in the past they do have some drawbacks.First of all, the remix paver is limited in use to paving. Secondly, amix transfer machine is very large and creates HMA, not remixes it.

Consequently, there exists a need for improved methods and systems fordeploying a remix machine to be used in conjunction with other pavingequipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and methodfor deploying multiple paving equipment tools in an efficient manner.

It is a feature of the present invention to utilize a multi-use pavingtractor.

It is an advantage of the present invention to reduce the cost of owninga group of paving tools.

It is another advantage to permit multiple paving equipment tools to bestored in a smaller space.

It is yet another advantage to permit reduced transportation costs inmoving several paving tools to a job site.

The present invention is an apparatus and method for deploying multiplepaving tools, designed to satisfy the aforementioned needs, provide thepreviously stated objects, include the above-listed features, andachieve the already articulated advantages. The present invention iscarried out in a “redundant hardware-less” manner in a sense that theneed to own, maintain and transport multiple paving hoppers, remixingequipment and propulsion mechanisms for a group of road paving tools,has been eliminated.

Accordingly, the present invention is a system and method including apaving tractor with a capability for readily connecting anddisconnecting a road paving tool thereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be more filly understood by reading the followingdescription of the preferred embodiments of the invention, inconjunction with the appended drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of the remix transfer machine of the presentinvention, with a partial cut-away portion to reveal a plurality ofaugers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Now referring to the drawing wherein like numerals refer to like matterthroughout, and more specifically referring to FIG. 1, there is shown aremix machine of the present invention, generally designated 100, whichincludes a hopper and mixing apparatus 101, a conveying shaft 102, auger109, driver station 120, driver seat 122, steering wheel 124, engine126, chassis 127 and drive train 128. Items 101, 102, 109, 122, 124,126, 127 and 128 are preferably similar or identical to components ofprior art remixing road pavers such as described in the above-referencedU.S. patent and the prior art road paver manufactured by Cedarapids,Inc. of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Engine 126 is drawn as a simple block, butit may include numerous related systems and/or components not limited tocomponents of a hydraulic pump and system, an electrical system andother systems.

As shown is an HMA mix transfer tool, generally designated 200, whichincludes an elevator assembly 205, which collects remixed HMA from therear of conveying shaft 102 and hopper and mixing apparatus 101, andelevates the HMA. Elevator assembly 205 includes elevator assembly lowerconnecting floor 206, which seals the elevator assembly 205 to the rearof the conveying shaft 102. Elevator assembly lower connecting floor 206is where the HMA is collected prior to being elevated above theconveying shaft 102 by the elevator assembly 205. Elevator assembly slatconveyor 207 is shown disposed in elevator assembly 205. It should beunderstood that the depicted arrangement of elevator assembly 205 is apreferred embodiment of the present invention. Alternate means andmethods of elevating the HMA could be employed, such as augers, pumpsand pipes or hoses, etc. The purpose of elevator assembly 205 is tocollect the HMA and deliver it to swinging slat conveyor 209. However,it should be understood that elevator assembly 205 or its alternatemeans could be adjustable vertically and radially so as to eliminate theneed for swinging slat conveyor 209.

In this preferred embodiment, swinging slat conveyor 209 is a verticallyand radially adjustable conveyor which can be swung to the right or theleft upon swinging slat conveyor pivot support 211, which can be a hingeor other pivot support. Swinging slat conveyor 209 includes a swingingslat conveyor interior chain assembly 208 and a swinging slat conveyorraising mechanism 210. Swinging slat conveyor raising mechanism 210, ifmounted to a side of remix machine 100, can both raise swinging slatconveyor 209 and swing swinging slat conveyor 209 right and left asneeded. Swinging slat conveyor raising mechanism 210 can be a hydrauliccylinder, a cable/winch system or other system for lifting and swingingthe swinging slat conveyor 209.

Swinging slat conveyor pivot support 211 is preferably a permanentlyfixed support for pivoting about a horizontal axis and a vertical axis.A rotational coupling or independent orthogonal pivot could be used toenable swinging slat conveyor 209 to be both raised and swung as needed.

In operation, the apparatus and method of the present invention asdescribed in FIG. 1, could function as follows:

Firstly, a remix machine 100 is provided which accepts HMA in a hopperand mixing apparatus 101 and transports it rearward via conveying shaft102.

HMA mix transfer tool 200 elevates the HMA for delivery to another pieceof paving equipment.

Throughout the above description, HMA is described as the material to beused. It should be understood that the present invention is directed toany type of road surface. It is believed that recycled asphalt productscould be used, cold mix asphalt, and even in certain applications withany appropriate modifications, concrete could be the paving material.Hopper and mixing apparatus 101 may comprise a rectangular box or anangled rectangular or circular bin or any shaped container and materialmixing and transfer apparatus which is suitable for the paving materialbeing used.

It is thought that the method and apparatus of the present inventionwill be understood from the foregoing description and that it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construct steps,and arrangement of the parts and steps thereof, without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of theirmaterial advantages. The form herein described is merely a preferredexemplary embodiment thereof.

1. A remix machine comprising: a chassis having a front end and a rearend; a hopper disposed on said chassis at said front end; a driverstation comprising a driver seat and a steering wheel; said driverstation disposed on said chassis at said rear end; an engine and drivetrain coupled to said hopper and configured to provide propulsion ofsaid hopper, said chassis and said driver station when said hopper isfilled with road paving material and said driver station is occupied bya driver; means for moving paving material from said hopper toward saidrear end, such that said paving material is not dribbled below saidtractor as a material conveyor loops underneath said tractor; and, acoupling means coupled to said chassis and toward said rear end, saidcoupling means configured to receive an elevator thereon.
 2. A remixmachine of claim 1 wherein said coupling means is for permanentlycoupling.
 3. A remix machine of claim 2 wherein the elevator is aconveyor.
 4. A method of remixing HMA comprising the steps of: providinga remix machine with a hopper and an elevator; driving the remix machineso as to be within a predetermined proximity to a source of HMA;depositing HMA into the hopper, remixing the PA and delivering theremixed HMA via the elevator to a piece of road building equipment.
 5. Amethod of claim 4 wherein said elevator is a swinging and pivotingconveyor.
 6. A remixing and transfer system comprising: a machinecomprising: a chassis having a front and a rear end; a container forreceiving and containing road hot mix asphalt paving material, disposedat and coupled to said front end; means for moving said hot mix asphaltpaving material from said container to said rear end; an engine, coupledto said chassis, for providing motive force to propel said remixmachine; said chassis comprising a connection point; and an elevatorcoupled to the connection point.
 7. A machine of claim 6 wherein theelevator is permanently coupled to the connection point.